Chain saw guide bar with cleaning means

ABSTRACT

A chain saw guide bar with at least one internal channel for spraying the sawn surface with liquid through nozzles, where the channel is extended in front of the nozzles by an end portion terminated by a closeable cleaning hole with a larger section than the nozzles and usable for cleaning the channel with compressed air or liquid.

BACKGROUND

Chain saw guide bars, especially for mounting on tree harvest vehicles,are often provided with internal channels for spraying the sawn surfacewith liquids such as fungicides, where the channels are made withseveral small nozzles. The liquid may sometimes contain particles,including dirt or crystals settled during interruptions of the work, orwhen a guide bar has been dismounted for servicing. The nozzles are sosmall that they may be clogged by such particles, and there is a needfor cleaning the channels, which is very difficult with prior guide bardesigns.

According to the invention, the channels can be cleaned by compressedair as part of servicing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURE

FIG. 1 shows an exterior view of the guide bar according to the presentinvention.

DESCRIPTION

A guide bar according to the invention is described with reference toFIG. 1, showing an exterior view. The guide bar has a clamping end (11)with supply holes (12) where liquid is supplied from the power unit. Theliquid travels through one or more channels (13) in the guide bar to amultitude of nozzles (14) which may be located at the main channel or atbranches to it. The nozzles have basically the same small size andcannot be used to clean the channels by compressed air, since they willnot let in enough air to clean the wider channels, and since most of theair would escape through neighbouring nozzles instead of following thechannels (13) to the supply holes (12).

According to the invention each channel is extended past the outermostnozzle or branch to an end portion (15). This allows particles tocollect in the end portion without forming tough deposits or cloggingnozzles. The end portion (15) is terminated with a large closeablecleaning hole (16), which is closed by a plug when in use. The cleaninghole are the plug are preferably threaded. When the guide bar is to becleaned, the plug is removed and the cleaning hole connected to acompressed air supply, which allows particles and liquid remains to beblown along the channel (13) and out through the supply hole (12).Alternatively, the compressed air supply can be connected to the supplyhole and the particles be blown out through the cleaning hole (16). Fordried liquid remains, water or other solvents can be used instead ofcompressed air.

When the channel has been cleaned, the plug is reattached to thecleaning hole (16) and the guide bar can be used again.

What is claimed is:
 1. A chain saw guide bar, comprising: at least oneinternal channel and a plurality of nozzles connected to the internalchannel, for spraying a sawn surface with liquid through the nozzles,wherein the channel is extended in front of the nozzles by an end potionwith a closeable cleaning hole, the cleaning hole having a larger crosssection than cross sections of the nozzles.
 2. The chain saw guide baraccording to claim 1, wherein the cleaning hole is closeable with aremovable plug.
 3. The chain saw guide bar according to claim 2, whereinthe cleaning hole and the plug are threaded.
 4. A chain saw guide bar,comprising: a bar having a distal and proximal end; at least one supplyhole for supplying liquid, said at least one supply hole disposed atsaid proximal end of said bar; a closeable cleaning hole disposed atsaid distal end of said bar; at least one internal channel for sprayingthe sawn surface with liquid, said channel extending from said at leastone supply hole to said closeable cleaning hole; a plurality of nozzlesdisposed along said at least one internal channel between said supplyhole and said closeable cleaning hole; and an end portion of the oneinternal channel disposed at said distal end of said bar, said endportion extending from a last of said nozzles to said closeable cleaninghole.
 5. The chain saw guide bar of claim 4, wherein said closeablecleaning hole has a larger cross section than cross sections of thenozzles.